Official: AC Milan vs. Genoa starting XI

AC Milan head coach Paulo Fonseca has set his starting line-up for the match against Genoa, and he has chosen to start two teenagers.

The headlines in the build-up to the game have been dominated by the fact that Fonseca took a bit of a lead about the attitude of the team after the narrow victory over Red Star at home.

That led to reports that he wanted to mix up the squad a bit, something that Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Yunus Musah’s absences have also contributed to.

Official starting lineups

The four-man defense is Emerson Royal, Matteo Gabbia, Malick Thiaw and Alex Jimenez in front of Mike Maignan, and Theo Hernandez therefore drops to the bench.

Tijjani Reijnders and Youssouf Fofana are the midfield double pivot again, with Samuel Chukwueze, Mattia Liberali and Rafael Leao the attacking trident behind Tammy Abraham.

It’s a big opportunity for Jimenez and Liberali, who have spent pretty much the entire season with Milan Futuro so far. Alvaro Morata and Noah Okafor are on the bench after recovering.

Official Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Emerson Royal, Gabbia, Thiaw, Jimenez; Fofana, Reijnders; Chukwueze, Liberali, Leao; Abraham.

Bench: Sportiello, Torriani, Calabria, Morata, Okafor, Theo Hernnadez, Tomori, Pavlovic, Bartesaghi, Terracciano, Vos, Camarda.

Official Genoa XI (3-5-1-1): Leali; Vogliacco, Bani, Vasquez; Zanoli, Frendrup, Badelj, Thorsby, Martin; Miretti; Pinamonti.

Bench: Sommariva, Gollini, Bohinen, Vitinha, Pereiro, Norton-Cuffy, Sabelli, Maracndalli, Ankeye, Matturro, Balotelli, Accornero, Melegoni, Masini.